WELLS: Double slaying turns White County, Ill., upside down

White County, Ill., was turned upside down last week by the slayings of two of its young residents — 17-year-old Jessi Evans of Norris City and her boyfriend, 22-year-old Jacob Wheeler of Centerville.

The story of their loss made more twists and turns than any episode of Law and Order. When White County Sheriff Doug Maier first put out a press release that the two were missing, I immediately assumed they had simply left the area, not wanting to be found. They had gone camping on the weekend, so it didn't seem unreasonable to me that they had probably just run away.

That theory totally disintegrated when the body of the young Norris City High School senior was found in the back of Wheeler's pickup truck. She had been shot three times in the head. Where was Wheeler? Why did he leave his pickup truck behind? Who would have done something like this? What motive could there be to kill a 17-year-old high school senior?

In an instant, rumors started flashing across social media websites faster than a Colorado wildfire. Some of the rumors were so outrageous, that they can't be put into print.

Many postings automatically assumed that Wheeler killed his girlfriend, and went into hiding. After all, he was an Army veteran having served in the war in Afghanistan. He was in great physical condition, and should have been able to evade law enforcement.

Others believed Jacob had taken his own life. Still others were convinced both had been victims of foul play.

There were "sightings" of Wheeler that Sheriff Maier investigated. His officers ran each and every one of those tips down with negative results. Then, a $2,000 Crimestoppers reward was offered for information concerning Wheeler's whereabouts. He was, after all — "a person of interest" in Jessi's death. Still — there were no credible tips on his whereabouts.

The case seemed to be growing cold until old-fashioned police work turned up a small vehicle part at the scene where Evansville was killed. Police were able to match that part to a truck belonging to one of Wheeler's neighbors.

Search warrants lead to more evidence, which lead to a suspect being brought in for questioning, which eventually lead to the arrest of Danny K. Coston of Centerville.

According to Sheriff Maier, statements made by Coston led police to the body of Wheeler in a remote location in southeastern Wayne County. In just one week, this awful case went from a young couple that probably ran away to an apparent double homicide.

There are plenty of victims in this case. Jacob Wheeler and Jessi Evans are dead. Both their families must now live with the pain of their loss. For the Coston family, they are facing a long and painful legal road ahead.

For Sheriff Doug Maier, his deputies and the Illinois State Police investigators who worked around the clock to break this case, they have to be completely wiped out. I've been told there were no high-fives when an arrest was made — just sadness that two lives were gone and the whole county was turned upside down.

Like any episode of Law and Order, it will now be up to the justice system to write the last paragraph and put a period at the end of this awful story.